Page 100 of Destiny of the Dragons

Later, she could work through her feelings. Right now, she needed to focus.

She chanted under her breath, drawing sigils on the floor in her mother’s cooling blood.

She pulled magic inside her to the surface and felt the answering call. They were connected, bonded, through family and bone and blood, and someday she would go into the dirt as her mother had now, her spirit gone, but the body remaining.

Mia connected herself to the bond of family, feeling the stirring of her ancestors before her, in an unbroken chain.

Her heart thumped in her chest, and for a moment she tasted the beating of her heart, the copper red that connected to her mother, father, sister, cousin, grandma, and on through the history.

Jace and Smoke’s fire and ice swirled inside her, warming her up where she was cold, cooling her down where she was too hot. Her magic swirled with them until the thread was thick, unbreakable. She went further down the family line: great grandmother, great-great-grandmother until she went back through the chain of blood and bone that connected her to all who came before.

A small glimmer touched her, like a warning or omen, but then the spell snapped into place.

Mia gasped and braced her hands on the floor.

“What did you do to her,” Jace snarled.

“Nothing.” Cassius sounded cold…calculating. “It just took a lot out of her. No doubt the two of you will nurse her back to health.”

Sweat beaded her forehead and black spots marred her vision.

“Good job Mia.” Cassius shifted in front of her, but her vision was spotty. “I’m a man of my word. I’ll leave you to your dragons.”

Footsteps moved away from her.

Seconds later, Jace and Smoke sandwiched her from either side.

“Mia, are you okay?” Jace patted her like he was feeling around for injuries.

“Yes,” Mia wheezed. She sat up, and Jace instantly pulled her against his side.

Smoke pressed against her other side.

Mia glanced at Mother’s body. “Someone should—“

“Not you,” Jace said. “We’ll handle it.”

The magic didn’t feel so big at the time, but she was lightheaded and dizzy.

She could still feel her heart beating oddly in her chest. She could almost feel each vessel of blood move through her veins, and there was an odd echo effect with each breath she took.

Jace called Charlotte and gave a short summary. Charlotte said she would take care of everything, and come by to see her later. Her bones hurt like they were suddenly heavier.

Jace carried her into the bedroom. Smoke waited for Charlotte to arrive.

She'd heard Charlotte's voice, felt her sister's presence in a way she'd never noticed before. Charlotte poked her head into the room and gave her a small wave. "Rest. I'll take care of things."

Mia nodded. She couldn't stop shivering. After Charlotte left, Smoke crawled into bed, curled up on her other side. It was dark and quiet in her bedroom, just the sound of their breathing and heartbeats.

The roaring of blood in Mia’s ears grew quieter until it disappeared.

“Sorry,” Mia mumbled. “It just took a lot out of me.”

“No reason to be sorry.” Jace stroked his hand through her hair, it falling across her shoulder and touching Smoke’s arm. Smoke nuzzled his face into her neck. “You’re not allowed to scare us like that again. Surely we could have helped more.”

“I don’t know how.” She stopped her tongue thick in her mouth.

“Practice loves.” Jace kissed her forehead and then Smoke’s. “We can get better at sharing power in time.”

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